Potentially harmful drug combinations prescribed to older adults identified
A new study published in the BMJ highlights the risks of 'prescribing cascades,' where older adults are prescribed new medications to treat the side effects of existing ones. Researchers emphasize that this pattern is often missed in clinical practice and leads to unnecessary health risks and costs.
Why it matters
Identifying these prescribing patterns is crucial for improving geriatric healthcare and reducing the burden of polypharmacy on aging populations.
by Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute
edited by Gaby Clark , reviewed by Robert Egan
This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility:
Add as preferred source Credit: Towfiqu barbhuiya from Pexels A new Ontario-wide study reveals that common medications, from statins to iron supplements, are quietly setting off prescribing cascades that leave older adults unknowingly taking drugs to treat side effects of other drugs.
The research, published in BMJ and led by Dr. Paula Rochon, director of research at the Weston and O'Born Centre for Mature Women's Health at Sinai Health in Toronto, has revealed that certain drug combinations are a common but unrecognized contributor to drug-related harm at the population level and add unnecessary costs to the health care system.
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